15th shooting linked in probe

COLUMBUS (AP) Ballistics tests have linked the bullet that pierced a van at a used car lot with five others recovered from shootings around a nearby stretch of interstate

The shooting at the Paydays lot on U.S. Highway 23 increases to 15 the number of cases under investigation. The bullet hole in the van was noticed by a passer-by on Nov. 15, 10 days before a woman was killed while driving on nearby Interstate 270, where most of the shootings happened. It is the sixth recovered bullet that police have matched through ballistic tests, Franklin County sheriffs Chief Deputy Steve Martin said.

Although the rest of the shootings could not be linked through bullet testing, police believe they all are related.

On Monday, workers put up cameras on I-270 in an attempt to find who is behind the shootings.

The site of the latest linked shooting is in a commercial strip on a four-lane highway just over a mile north of I-270, near fast food restaurants and car parts stores.

A passer-by reported a hole in the van to the car lot owner, a police report said. When police initially investigated, they gave the lot owner the bullet, which had been found on the ground, the report said.

After the shootings started happening, the owner returned the bullet to investigators, Martin said.

Car lot manager Darrell Bentley said Tuesday he did not remember when he reported the bullet hole to police and declined further comment.

At least two shootings along I-270 have happened since Nov. 25, when Gail Knisley, 62, was killed as she was being driven to a doctors appointment, authorities said. She was the only person hit in the shootings.

Police have received 1,520 tips about the shootings. They asked people to compare the times and dates of the shootings with the habits of individuals they suspect may be involved.

Police noted potential suspects would be able to come and go at all hours with little supervision and without drawing attention of family or friends.

Martin said the investigating task force is notified of any shootings in the general area of the southern stretch of the highway.